Low light level tracer mix

ABSTRACT

A LOW LIGHT LEVEL, LONG-BURNING, SMALL ARMS TRACER PYROTECHNIC MIXTURE FOR USE WITH NIGHT VISION EQUIPMENT COMPRISING, BY WEIGHT PERCENT: STRONTIUM PEROXIDE, 10-90; BARIUM PERIOXIDE, 0-65; CALCIUM RESINATE, 5-15; AND MAGNESIUM CARBONATE, 10-15.

3,677,842 LOW LIGHT LEVEL TRACER MIX Thomas A. Doris, Jr., Palmyra,N.J., assignor to the United States of America as represented by theSecretary of the Army No Drawing. Filed Mar. 10, 1970, Ser. No. 18,320Int. Cl. C06b 15/00 US. Cl. 149-109 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREA low light level, long-burning, small arms tracer pyrotechnic mixturefor use with night vision equipment comprising, by weight percent:strontium peroxide, 10-90; barium perioxide, -65; calcium resinate,5-15; and magnesium carbonate, -15.

This invention may be manufactured, used, and licensed by or for theGovernment for governmental purposes without the payment to me of anyroyalty thereon.

This invention relates to pyrotechnics and more particularly concernslow light level tracer mixtures for small arms ammunition.

An object of the invention is to provide improved tracer mixtures forsmall arms ammunition.

Another object of the invention is to provide tracer mixtures providinga low light emission in the visible portion of the spectrum and a highlight emission in the infrared spectral region.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as thedescription of the invention proceeds.

In accordance with the above objects, the components of my mixtures inthe form of homogeneous powders, will have sizes smaller than about 60mesh, and will be pressed into a tracer cavity of a projectile at normalconsolidating pressures for standard tracer mixtures, or about 100,000p.s.1.

My tracer mixtures will be used most advantageously with small armsammunition, up to and including about mm. ammunition. When ignited, mymixtures cannot be seen or detected with the unaided eye even underconditions of extreme darkness. With the aid of night vision devices,however, such as the Starlight scope, low light level T.V., forwardlooking IR devices, or any suitable image intensifying devices, lightemission of the tracer projectile using my mixtures may readily beobserved to a trace length in excess of about 1200 yards.

Present tracer mixtures emit an undesirably high level of lightintensity when burned causing night vision devices to malfunction and/orthe gunner to lose sight of the target.

My protechnic mixtures include the following components by weight:

Percent Strontium peroxide 10-95 Barium peroxide 10-65 Calcium resinate5-15 Magnesium carbonate 10-15 The peroxides function as oxidizingagents. Barium peroxide yields substantially no ash upon combustionwhere- 3,677,842 Patented July 18, 1972 as strontium peroxide does. Inorder to ballistically match ball and tracer rounds, it may be desirableto combine these peroxides. The barium peroxide, however, may beexcluded from my compositions altogether if a ballistic match betweenball and tracer rounds is not needed.

Calcium resinate functions as the fuel/binder and should desirably bepresent in amounts ranging between about 5 to 15 weight percent of thefinal tracer mix. Amounts substantially below or above these valuescause poor and erratic performance of the tracer mix.

The magnesium carbonate is a burning rate modifier and flame retardant.When approximately 15 weight percent of this compound is used in mytracer mixes, as compared to its non-inclusion, the combustion thereofis not only slower, but the light emission is reduced even further. Itmust be remembered that my compositions are low light level emittingcompositions even without the ad dition of any magnesium carbonate.

A preferred long-burning tracer mix which exhibits low light levelemission in the visible spectrum and high light level emission in theinfrared spectrum is:

The mixture of Ex. II will produce a greater quantity of ash and burnslightly faster than the mixtures of the other two examples. Strontiumperoxide yields ash and burns faster than barium peroxide. Similarly,the mixture of Ex. I will burn faster than the mixture of Ex. III andwill yield a slightly higher light level, both in the visible and IRspectral regions.

I claim:

1. A long-burning tracer pyrotechnic mixture having a low light emissionin the visible portion of the spectrum and a high light emission in theinfrared spectral region, said mixture comprising 10 to 95% by weight ofstrontium peroxide, 0 to by weight of barium peroxide, 5 to 15 by weightcalcium resinate, and 10 to 15% by weight of magnesium carbonate.

2. The mixture of claim 1 wherein said peroxides each comprise about 40weight percent, and said resinate and said carbonate each comprise about10 weight percent.

3. The mixture of claim 1 further characterized by said References Citedstrontium peroxide being present in an amount of about UNITED STATESPATENTS 81 welght percent, sald calcium reslnate being present 1n anamount of about 9 weight percent, and said magnesium 3,257,801 6/1966Mamnez et a1 14937 X carbonate being present in an amount of about 10weight 5 3,325,316 6/1967 MacDonald 149 37 X percent.

4. The mixture as described in claim 1 wherein said LELAND SEBASTIANPnmary Exammer strontium peroxide and said barium peroxide each con- S.J. LECHERT JR., Assistant Examiner stitute about 37.5 weight percent,the balance consisting essentially of said calcium resinate and saidmagnesium 10 carbonate in a weight ratio respectively of about 2 to 3.13

